Author Topic: 7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper  (Read 1476 times)

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Offline Deanna Sudnik

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« on: November 28, 2005, 17:20:41 pm »
Hi all,
My textbook/spirtited daughter has always woken throughout the night but never really fussed, just gone back to sleep. She has always settled her self at bedtime and naptime without assistance (okay she has a prop-soother) but without fussing or assistance from us. 3 weeks ago all of that changed. She suddenly began crying relentlessly at nap and bedtime and wakes frequently throughout the night and requires much comfort to resettle. I have been doing pu/pd for 2 weeks I have reexamined her daytime routine, I have looked at her feeding schedule, I have checked for teeth....and then I have cried!! I am at a loss, hubby is starting to talk about trying CIO which we have always both been against. I am really desperate for some support and some suggestions. For about a week now she has gone down for her naps a bit better without any pu/pd just some fussing. Last night was the all time worst - every hour she was up and 10-20 minutues of pu/pd before sleeping again.

HELP! I am wondering if I need to be readjusting her day time napping to 2 instead of 3... or any other suggestions please.

Thanks
Deanna
1st time mom to Rebecca - textbook/touchy

Offline Carter'sMama

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2005, 17:29:10 pm »
I don't know if I can be of any help but we recently went through the same thing.  It seemed to happen out of nowhere (frequent night wakings, difficulty going down for naps, super short naps etc).  All I did was extend awake time from 2 hr to 2.5 hrs between naps and cut out the catnap (on most days ... some days he still needs it).  That helped a little bit but I think it was also a developmental thing and after a few weeks he went right back to his happy self!!!  That is until the last 2 nights  :(  ... but that is a different story!!!

HTH
Cathy - Mama to:
Carter Luke - March 29, 2005
Mason Henry - April 7, 2007
Daphne Catherine Grace - May 30, 2010



Offline tylersmommy

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2005, 18:16:48 pm »
I'm with Cathy...cutting out the catnap could be the answer here. Around 6-7 mo, many babies are ready for more awake time and transition to 2 naps. I knew Tyler was ready when he started resisting naps and bedtime and woke more frequently during the night. Consolidating naps fixed the problem once his body adjusted. Our 2 nap routine called for 2.5 hrs awake time in the AM, 3 hrs awake time between naps, and 4 hrs awake time before bedtime. Obviously, some days were pretty messy while we were transitioning, but that's what we ended up with once he adjusted. Good luck!
Melissa
Mommy to Tyler, 12/30/03 and Mackenzie, 10/17/06
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Offline Deanna Sudnik

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2005, 21:21:54 pm »
Thank you thank you!
I feel better about trying that now...my only question is how to make the transition when she is already so overtired from lack of sleep at night. She went down for her afternoon nap today at 1:30 and was awake at 2:05 she is currently fussing because I was trying to get her to go back to sleep. I know she is still tired. Any suggestions on how you started the transition would be great.

I know at 3 months I was just added 15 minutes over a few days...but she was better rested then.

Thanks again for the prompt support! I love this site!
Deanna
1st time mom to Rebecca - textbook/touchy

Offline Carter'sMama

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2005, 13:22:41 pm »
I just transitioned overnight!  I was so tired off all the night wakings so I just increased his a.m awake time by half an hour.  He handled it really well but I made sure that the activities we did that morning were very low key.  We went for a walk (right after breakfast so he wouldn't fall asleep), read a book, watched Baby einstein etc.  I made sure to stay away from the jumperoo and exersaucer and other stimulating toys.  It took maybe 4 days to get him switched around but then his night wakings went away.  I did increase his day time food a bit as well just in case that was a contributing factor!!

For the first couple of days I did keep the cat nap because I was increasing the awake time but he was still having short naps and was overtired.  Once he got used to the the longer awake time then I cut out the catnap (actually he did it on his own!).

HTH
Cathy - Mama to:
Carter Luke - March 29, 2005
Mason Henry - April 7, 2007
Daphne Catherine Grace - May 30, 2010



Offline KB

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7 mth old suddenly a terrible sleeper
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2005, 22:32:58 pm »
Hi there

We have just been through this as well.  DD is also 7 months. It started with resisting daytime naps and taking a full hour to hour and a half to settle for bed at night.  Then the night wakings started.  We also spent her first night away from home and it didn't help either.

I did the same as what the others are saying and dropped the catnap.  At first it wasn't easy as DD was only having a 40 minute nap some afternoons and so by bedtime was sooo tired.  I compensated by bringing bedtime forward a little, first it was 6.30, then 7pm then back to 7.30.  This probably took about a week, maybe a bit less to get back on track.  We used just in cot settling during the night, my DD gets so much worse with PU/PD, we found just a hand on her back was enough sometimes, otherwise a bit of patting or rubbing.  Also had to make sure it was Dad doing the nighttime settling, I would want to give in and feed :oops:   Also he just seemed to get better results.

Anyway it worked.  Not only have the night wakings gone but her daytime naps have become two TWO HOUR naps!!  After months of 45 minute naps I thought that she was always going to be a power napper but it is really good now.

I'm feeling for you, it is so exhausting.  Hope this helps.